ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXTS ON PALESTINIAN PEOPLE,

INDEPENDENCE FOR COLONIAL COUNTRIES, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

 

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 26 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this afternoon adopted a number of decisions and resolutions on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan; granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples; and social development, including new partnerships for Africa’s development, among others.

The Council adopted a resolution by a roll-call vote of 29 in favour to 2 against, with 18 abstentions on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, in which it called for the lifting of the severe restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people to alleviate the desperate humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  The Council demanded that Israel comply with the Protocol on Economic Relations between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and called upon Israel to restore and replace civilian properties, vital infrastructure, agricultural lands and governmental institutions that had been damaged or destroyed;.  The Council reaffirmed the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan to all their natural and economic resources.

The Council took also note of the Secretary-General’s note transmitting the report prepared by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan. 

In the context of the agenda item on the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, the Council adopted by a roll-call vote of 33 in favour to none against, with 19 abstentions a resolution on support to non-self-governing territories by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, in which it recommended that all States intensify their efforts within the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.  Under the same agenda item, the Council also took note of the report of the Secretary-General on assistance to the Palestinian People.

Under its agenda item on social and human rights questions: social development, the Council adopted a resolution in the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-fifth session in which it adopted the supplement to the World Programme of Action for Youth annexed to the resolution and to recommend its adoption by the General Assembly.  The resolution was adopted by a roll-call vote of 49 in favour to 1 against, with no abstentions.

The Council also adopted a resolution on social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, in which the Council urged continuous support of measures to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa, including, as appropriate, debt relief, improved market access, support for the private sector and entrepreneurship, enhanced official development assistance, increased foreign direct investment and the transfer of technology.

It subsequently adopted a decision on the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-fifth session and provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-sixth session of the Commission, approving that agenda.

The Council then adopted a decision on the nomination of the members of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, confirming the eight candidates nominated by the Commission.

Commenting on the resolutions and decisions were representatives from Portugal on behalf of the European Union, United States, Russia, Argentina, Pakistan, Israel, Syria, Canada and Japan.

ECOSOC will resume its meeting on Friday, 27 July at 10 a.m., when it will continue to take action on all outstanding matters before suspending its 2007 substantive session.

Action on Resolutions and Decisions

In a resolution (E/2007/L.19) on support to Non-Self-Governing Territories by the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations, adopted by a roll-call vote of 33 in favour to none against, with 19 abstentions, the Council takes note of the report of the President of the Economic and Social Council, and endorses the observations and suggestions arising there from; recommends that all States intensify their efforts within the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples; and encourages the Non-Self-Governing Territories to take steps to establish and/or strengthen disaster preparedness and management institutions and policies.

The results of the vote were as follows:

In favour (33): Algeria, Angola, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chad, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Mauritania, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Thailand.

Against: (0)

Abstentions (19): Albania, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States.

In an oral decision, adopted without a vote, the Council decided to defer action on the report of the United Nations Forum on Forests on its seventh session to its resumed substantive session, to take place no later than early October 2007.

In a resolution contained in document E/2007/26 on the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-fifth session concerning supplement to the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by a roll-call vote of 49 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions, the Council recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution: the General Assembly, recalling its resolution 60/2 of 6 October 2005, entitled “Policies and programmes involving youth”, in which it requested the Commission for Social Development, at its forty-fifth session, to elaborate the five additional priority areas for the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond and to make recommendations on a supplement to the World Programme of Action to the General Assembly, to be adopted at its sixty-second session, taking into consideration other emerging issues of particular relevance to youth, decides to adopt the supplement to the World Programme of Action for Youth annexed to the present resolution.

In favour (49): Albania, Algeria, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Against (1): United States.

In a resolution contained in the same document and entitled social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, adopted without a vote, the Council urges continuous support of measures to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa, including, as appropriate, debt relief, improved market access, support for the private sector and entrepreneurship, enhanced official development assistance, increased foreign direct investment and the transfer of technology; requests the United Nations system to continue to provide assistance to the African Union, the secretariat of the New Partnership and African countries in developing projects and programmes within the scope of the priorities of the New Partnership; invites the Secretary-General, as a follow-up to the 2005 World Summit, to urge the organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to assist African countries in implementing quick-impact initiatives based on their national development priorities and strategies to enable them to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and acknowledges in this regard recent commitments by some donor countries; requests the Secretary-General to continue to take measures to strengthen the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, and requests the Office to collaborate with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat and to include the social dimensions of the New Partnership in its comprehensive reports to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session; and decides that the Commission for Social Development should continue to give prominence to and raise awareness of the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and its implementation during its forty-sixth session, and in that regard requests the Commission to provide recommendations on the measures to achieve that end during the policy session of 2008.

In a decision contained in the same document and entitled report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-fifth session and provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-sixth session, adopted without a vote, the Council takes note of the report of the Commission for Social Development on its forty-fifth session; approves the provisional agenda and documentation for the forty-sixth session of the Commission.

In a decision contained in the same document, and entitled nomination of members of the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, adopted without a vote, the Commission for Social Development decides to nominate, for confirmation by the Economic and Social Council, eight candidates for membership in the Board of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.

In a resolution (E/2007/L.26), on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, adopted by a roll-call vote of 29 in favour to 2 against (Canada, United States), with 18 abstentions, the Council calls for the lifting of the severe restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people and for other urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the desperate humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; demands that Israel comply with the Protocol on Economic Relations between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed in Paris on 29 April 1994; calls upon Israel to restore and replace civilian properties, vital infrastructure, agricultural lands and governmental institutions that have been damaged or destroyed as a result of its military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory; reiterates the call for the full implementation of the Access and Movement Agreement of 15 November 2005, particularly the urgent reopening of Rafah and Karni crossings, which is crucial to ensuring the passage of foodstuffs and essential supplies, as well as the access of the United Nations agencies to and within the Occupied Palestinian Territory; calls upon all parties to respect the rules of international humanitarian law and to refrain from violence against the civilian population in accordance with the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949; reaffirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan to all their natural and economic resources, and calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, not to exploit, endanger or cause loss or depletion of these resources; calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease the dumping of all kinds of waste materials in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan; requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, through the Economic and Social Council, a report on the implementation of the present resolution and to continue to include in the report of the United Nations Special Coordinator an update on the living conditions of the Palestinian people, in collaboration with relevant United Nations agencies; and decides to include the item entitled “economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan” in the agenda of its substantive session of 2008.

The results of the vote were as follows:

In favour (29): Algeria, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Thailand.

Against (2): Canada and the United States.

Abstentions (18): Albania, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom.

Comments on Non-Self-Governing Territories

TONY FAUTUA (New Zealand), speaking in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said that New Zealand came to consideration of this draft resolution as both an administering power in terms of the Declaration and as a Member State that had first-hand experience of the work of the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations as it related to non-self-governing territories falling under the authority of the Special Committee.  New Zealand appreciated the manner in which the statement by Rebeca Hernandez Toledano, speaking on behalf of the Special Committee on Decolonization, reflected New Zealand’s ongoing commitment to the purpose of the Declaration. 

New Zealand stood firmly for decolonization as a central principle of the United Nations, he said.  In all its dealings with Tokelau it had sought to ensure that it was in step with the declared wishes of the people of Tokelau.  New Zealand, as an administering power, continued to support Tokelau.  In the context of this draft resolution it was important to place on record that the specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system had played and continued to play a significant role in support of Tokelau’s needs and aspirations. 

MIGUEL CRUZ SILVESTRE (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said with regards to the resolution, the members of the European Union who were also members of the Economic and Social Council, would, as in previous years, abstain during the vote, as the European Union believed that the issues that were dealt with in the resolution were not under the competence of the Council. 

RICHARD T. MILLER ( United States), speaking in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said that it was not opposed to the assistance of the specialized agencies to non-self-governing territories.  But it opposed the highly politicized context.  The United States would therefore abstain from the vote. 

M. A PANKIN ( Russian Federation), in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said it had abstained in the vote.  The principal approach to decolonization of the Russian Federation had not changed.  This very political issue being considered in the Council led it away from its activities in the economic and social sphere. 

GONZALO JORDAN ( Argentina) said that Argentina had traditionally supported and continued to support the principle of self-determination of peoples.  However, Argentina wished to recall that in relation to the resolution that had just been adopted, the principle was not appropriate in cases where there was a sovereignty dispute.

Comment on United Nations Forum on Forests

Mr. CRUZ SILVESTRE (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union in a general comment, said that the European Union welcomed the report of the seventh session of the United Nations Forum on Forests for the consideration of the Council.  The European Union considered that the outcome of the seventh session of the Forum constituted a landmark in the context of international forest policy and cooperation.  For the first time in global forest negotiations, the object of the international debates on forests -- sustainable forest management -- had been generally described “as a dynamic and evolving concept, aimed to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental values of all types of forests, for the benefit of present and future generations”.  The three main results achieved at the session were, the conclusion and adoption of a non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests, the agreement on and adoption of the multi-year programme of work of the United Nations Forum on Forests for 2007-2015 and the commitment to develop and consider a voluntary global financial mechanism/portfolio approach/forest financing framework for all types of forests, with a view to its adoption at the Forum’s next session.

The European Union strongly believed that, altogether, these three major outcomes of the seventh session of the Forum, their judicious implementation and the continuing coordination and cooperation with other policy areas, instruments and processes that had an impact on forest would allow forests and their sustainable management to consistently contribute to the major objective of sustainable development.  The European Union attached great importance to the work of the Forum and to the intergovernmental forest policy process.  The report of the Forum on its seventh session and the draft resolutions contained in it were both acceptable to the European Union.  The European Union was confident that through constructive cooperation with all partners and interested stakeholders the objectives could be accomplished.

Comment on Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond

BILAL HAYEE ( Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said the Group of 77 and China fully supported the work of the Commission on Social Development.  The Commission had particularly focused its deliberations on policy for youth, aging and gender.  The Commission had a mandate to elaborate the five additional areas for action for the World Programme of Action for Youth to the year 2000 and Beyond.  During its forty-fifth session, the Group of 77 and China had adopted the supplement to the Programme of Action.  The Group, together with other delegations, had joined consensus on this resolution, and would abide by this decision.  However, it was concerned that putting to vote the outcomes of negotiated agreements was a negative process.  The Group would vote yes, and all Member States should do so also.

Mr. MILLER (United States), speaking in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said that the resolution on which it voted no was adopted as a result of negotiations that started late, were rushed and produced a document that was not up to the expected standards.  Already during the negotiations process, the United States had dissociated itself from the resolution.

GONÇALO SILVESTRE (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said that the European Union gave great importance to the work of the Commission on Social Development.  The General Assembly had decided to add five priority areas to the Programme of Action for Youth, and had requested the Commission to elaborate a supplement in this regard.  All delegations had worked hard to achieve consensus, although one Member State had disassociated itself from one of the paragraphs.  It was with regret and surprise that the European Union learnt that the supplement would be subject to a vote.

Comments on Repercussions of Israeli Occupation

NOA FURMAN ( Israel), speaking in a general statement, said that this resolution was yet another selective and one-sided resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian issue that was completely detached from reality.  Its sponsors were again exploiting ECOSOC for their own personal agenda, as they did in nearly all United Nations forums.  The distorted perspective through which the United Nations was often compelled to view the conflict in the region frequently prevented any scrutiny of Palestinian actions.  This was unfortunate, as reasonable observers could acknowledge there were two sides to every coin.  The failure to recognize the campaign of terror and violence perpetuated against Israel over the past six years, which implicated the socio-economic situation in the region, was an obvious example.

Also, the historic visit of yesterday of members of the Arab League to Israel had not been mentioned, she said.  Unfortunately, some countries would support the text automatically.  The resolution severely lacked veracity and balance.  A resolution crammed with inflammatory language, which pointedly refused to take into account any facts that did not support its predetermined outcome, should not have a place in either ECOSOC or the United Nations.

RANIA AL RIFAIY ( Syria), speaking in a general statement, said the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories including Jerusalem and the Occupied Syrian Arab Golan was very dramatic.  People were condemned to hunger, humiliation, arbitrary execution and expulsion.  The Council had had a brief overview of the activities of the Israeli Occupation Authorities.  A number of United Nations organizations had described situations which the Israelis had described as “imaginary”.  The only bizarre thing was that in the future the Occupation would persist in practices which turned their back on all laws, international instruments and morals.  The draft was a text which was submitted every year, and it should be adopted by consensus, without a vote.  This decision was a moral message to the Arab people in the Occupied Territories and the Golan - this gave a signal to the entire world that the Occupation Authorities did not have carte blanche to destroy people’s lives. 

BERNARDO FUTSCHER PERIERA (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said that the European Union wanted to thank the co-sponsors for the constructive dialogue.  The European Union was concerned about the critical humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  The European Union was acting on its concern.  No entity had provided greater economic and social support to the Palestinian people than the European Union.  Assistance worth €688 million had been provided.  The European Union gave its full support to President Mahmoud Abbas.  It had resumed full financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian authority.

The European Union called upon all parties to work towards an opening of the crossings in and out of Gaza to reach the transit volumes foreseen in order to ensure the development of the Palestinian economy and to improve the living conditions of the Palestinian people both in Gaza and the West Bank.  All the donors were invited to provide funding.  With regard to the resolution, the European Union regretted to announce that the European Union as a whole would not be able to support it.  The Presidency wished to thank the co-sponsors for their efforts.  The parties should continue their bilateral dialogue.  The European Union would continue to work within the Quartet.

HUGH ADSETT ( Canada), in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said the resolution did not sufficiently reflect the obligations of the Palestinian Authority to ensure the economic and social well-being of its people.  Canada had decided to vote against the resolution.  It welcomed the positive agenda of the new Palestinian Government, and would work with it to achieve the goals of peace, stability and good governance. 

Mr. MILLER ( United States), speaking in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said that the United States shared the concerns about the hardships of the Palestinian people.  The resolution did not reflect the complexities of the situation.  Both sides must see the United Nations as an honest broker, being particularly of the Quartet.  The United States could not support the resolution and regretted that there was not a more even-handed text.  Hamas had made its choice, imposing its extremist agenda on the Palestinian people in Gaza.  President Bush underscored the United States commitment for a better future for all people in the region, including the Palestinians.  The Palestinians who wished to live a better life in peace should be supported. 

The United States was working with the Quartet to support the Palestinian people, he said.  The path of violence was rejected.  The American financial institutions could resume normal economic ties with the Palestinian people.  The United States was of the position that there was one Palestinian people and that therefore there should be one Palestinian State.  The United States would provide additional assistance through the World Food Programme in Gaza.  The United States was nevertheless opposing this resolution.  Particularly in the current situation, the Economic and Social Council was urged to focus on working effectively to establish practical steps to address Palestinian needs. 

The representative of Japan, in an explanation of the vote after the vote, said Japan shared the concern over the living conditions of the Palestinian people residing in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and was thus of the same view as colleagues in the Council on the need to extend appropriate assistance to the Palestinian people.  However, the language in the resolution was lacking in balance, and made one-sided demands.  It was also regretted that certain recent developments on the ground were not reflected in the text.  The Council was not the appropriate body to take up political issues such as this one.

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